Officer lied about checking on mother before death in police cell

Sharmila Ullah was taken into police custody in July 2014 after being arrested for shoplifting. The 30-year-old, of Fourth Avenue, was admitted to Walsall Manor Hospital from Bloxwich Police Station after suffering abdominal pain and vomiting.

The mother, known as Millie, was returned to her cell the following morning where a doctor certified her as fit to be detained. But shortly after 11.50am on July 10 she was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at hospital less than an hour later.

It has now emerged a detention officer had made simultaneous entries on the police system stating he had visited Ms Ullah and other suspects being held in the cells when he had not.

The officer had instead checked on the detainees via CCTV.

The officer has since been dismissed by West Midlands Police for gross misconduct.

The force has also vowed to ensure steps are being taken to prevent misreporting in the future.